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The World Resources Institute (WRI) issued a statement responding to President Obama's 2014 State of the Union address, supporting the administration's plan to enact new emissions standards for existing power plants and emphasizing the economic benefits of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.

This research paper describes an integrated hydrology and water operations simulation model developed using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) platform to assess the impacts of climate change on water supply reliability in the Tuolumne and Merced River Basins of California.

The report evaluates California's Risk/Reward Incentive Mechanism (RRIM), a shared-savings incentive designed to motivate investor-owned utilities to meet energy efficiency targets. While it increased senior management's attention to energy efficiency and drove significant savings in cost-effective areas like lighting, it struggled with implementation delays and a controversial 'true-up' process. The mechanism's high sensitivity to small measurement changes and the resulting conflict between utilities and the CPUC led to the abandonment of retroactive adjustments for the 2006-08 period. The report concludes that incentives should be implemented before program design, avoid sharp earnings cutoffs, and be designed for predictability to be truly valued by shareholders.

This research synthesis brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) outlines the organization's work on climate finance and carbon markets, focusing on the governance of adaptation finance, the limitations of private sector investment in vulnerable regions, and the environmental integrity of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

This World Resources Institute working paper outlines the design and implementation of mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting programs, identifying key decision drivers and building blocks for jurisdictions to manage emissions and strengthen climate change capacity.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues against reforming or repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), asserting that the policy has successfully reduced petroleum dependence and stimulated the rural economy. While acknowledging challenges such as land use change and the 'blend wall,' the author contends that these issues should be addressed through the Farm Bill and EPA flexibility rather than statutory changes, which could jeopardize billions in private investment in next-generation biofuels.

Scott Vaughan's 2013 remarks to the Canadian-American Business Council discuss the convergence of climate regulatory approaches between Canada and the U.S., the economic implications of various oil and gas emission targets in Canada, and the challenges Canada faces in meeting its 2020 emissions reduction target.

This statement by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), submitted on behalf of itself, Friends of the Earth, Sierra Club, and Center for Biological Diversity, warns that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly regarding toxic chemicals. The document argues that the pursuit of 'regulatory coherence' through harmonization and mutual recognition may lower standards to a 'lowest-common denominator,' preempt sub-national laws, and create chilling effects on the development of safety regulations globally.

An open letter from RMI to hard goods retailers arguing that promoting and procuring energy-efficient electronics and appliances can unlock significant financial savings for consumers and reduce overall energy consumption.

This research paper by Ellen Vaughan and Jim Turner argues that mandatory, minimum building codes are the most effective and least expensive method to protect public health, safety, and the environment. The authors advocate for the adoption and enforcement of current model codes—specifically those updated every three years—to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and vulnerability to natural disasters while stimulating economic innovation in the building sector.

This report, published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in September 2013, reviews 16 benefit and cost studies of distributed photovoltaics (DPV) conducted between 2005 and 2013. It aims to establish a foundation for valuing distributed energy resources (DERs) by identifying methodological best practices and gaps in how the electricity sector quantifies the costs and benefits of DPV.

This report details the findings and recommendations from a two-day workshop conducted by the Electricity Innovation Lab (e-Lab) and Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest (NAVFAC Southwest) in April 2013. The document examines the technical, economic, and regulatory challenges of implementing microgrids on U.S. Navy bases to improve energy security and integrate renewable energy.

This issue brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It details various storage technologies—ranging from pumped hydro and compressed air to advanced batteries and flywheels—and analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies, specifically FERC orders and Department of Energy (DOE) initiatives, in overcoming implementation barriers.

This policy brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It provides a technical overview of various storage methods, analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies and legislation, and highlights specific large-scale implementation projects across the United States.

This research paper examines the welfare costs of drought plan transactions between the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) in California and its customers, using a discrete continuous choice (DCC) model within a water evaluation and planning (WEAP) model to estimate consumer welfare loss.

This statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues that U.S. forests are increasingly transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon emitters due to climate change, droughts, and wildfires. It highlights a critical funding gap for hazardous fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration, suggesting that expanding markets for wood products and bioenergy could provide a sustainable financial model for forest management.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes President Obama's June 2013 climate change action plan. It examines the shift toward Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sector-regulation for electricity, the potential for alignment with subnational carbon pricing systems, and the implications for Canada's own regulatory approach and the Keystone XL Pipeline approval.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes combined heat and power (CHP) technology, which integrates the production of heat and electric power into a single process to increase energy efficiency and reliability. It details the current state of CHP in the United States, its economic and environmental benefits, its role in disaster resilience, and the policy barriers and goals associated with its expansion.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes how California should allocate an estimated $2.75 billion in Proposition 39 funds to support energy efficiency and clean energy projects in K-12 schools and public buildings. The analysis suggests that funds should target deep energy-saving projects that districts cannot finance independently, rather than economical projects like lighting retrofits, and should be paired with technical assistance to help districts vet proposals and navigate financing options.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the financing gaps and technical barriers facing K-12 school districts in California to recommend strategies for allocating Proposition 39 funds. The authors argue that because private capital is currently available at low interest rates, Proposition 39 funds should be used as supplemental grants for deep energy-saving projects and as technical assistance, rather than as primary financing for short-payback projects that districts can already afford.